Laptop for Graphic/3D design student

[LastBlues]

Hello!

Recently my HP Pavilion D3 with it's fantastic intel family chipset 4 died and I was on the fence to buy a new laptop. I know these types of questions are common, but I would really appreciate the help because I can't make up my mind.

Here's a breakdown:

features I would like to have::
Discrete graphics if possible
good screen (1920 x 1080 preferable.)
Hashwell cpu or equivalent (unless ivy bridge still stands head to head with hashwell).
more than 8GB of RAM.

Laptop use:
Adobe Creative suites (photoshop, illustrator, after effects, etc),
NewTek Lightwave 3D, Autodesk Maya/3dsMax, and Unity3D.
Pro tools or Reaper.

so basically graphic and 3D design work.

Budget: hopefully around $1500 ~2000

Do you need to run demanding games: No, I already have a desktop tower at home that's capable of running high end games. It would be nice to run league of legends on a decent setting!

Are you going to carry it around a lot?: Yes, this laptop is strictly for working at school on group design projects. I am in my 3rd year right now so I expect plenty of group projects in the future.

Some laptops I was looking at:

MSI GS70
http/ncix.ca/products/?sku=87206&vpn=GS70%202OD-001US&manufacture=MSI

Macbook Pro (October 2013)
http/store.apple.com/ca/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=ME293LL/A&step=config

ASUS G46VW-DS51-CA
http/www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=80958&vpn=G46VW-DS51-CA&manufacture=ASUS&promoid=1145

Lenovo y510p
http/shop.lenovo.com/ca/en/laptops/ideapad/y-series/y510p/#techspecs

Razer Blade
http/www.razerzone.com/ca-en/store/razer-blade

I am also open to other suggestions! Thank you for your time!

 

[Prostar Computer]

Heya, check out some of the clevos like the ones we sell. Haha, not to plug the company or anything but you could get a nice computer for around the same price with a lot of configuration options (I noticed a pretty big swing in price between a couple of the ones you were looking at: one is like $900 and one about $1699). Maybe look at something simple like the Prostar/Clevo W650SH or ASUS N550JV-DB71 or something a little more advanced (which really it doesn't sound like you need) like the P151SM. www.pro-star.com under "Prostar/Clevo Laptops." If you're really into the MSI idea, there are some less expensive ones that might fit your bill too like GP60-2OD-052US. Depends on how much firepower you want in your mobile unit.

 

[PinchedNerve]

Try CyberPower PC. http/www.cyberpowerpc.com/

 

[lightsong]

I was looking at about the same situation... I ended up buying the new Dell XPS 15. Its pretty spendy ... was $2067 for the best model with student discounts, but the specs are beast.

lightweight (4.4 lbs), high resolution (1920x1080 OR 3200x1800), SSD, lots of ram

 

[LastBlues]

I was looking at about the same situation... I ended up buying the new Dell XPS 15. Its pretty spendy ... was $2067 for the best model with student discounts, but the specs are beast.

lightweight (4.4 lbs), high resolution (1920x1080 OR 3200x1800), SSD, lots of ram

Yeah, I was looking at the new xps 15 too, but I have this old stereotype of Dell having terrible CS and what not keeps nagging at me. Have they improved at all over the years?

 

[lightsong]

I'm not sure about that really (I don't use companies customer service, I just fit it myself). However, here is a link to an ongoing review of the m3800 (basically same computer, different graphics card) it looks quite promising

http/forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vostro-precision/735359-dell-precision-m3800-owners-review.html

 

[LastBlues]

that looks great....and also looks expensive...

thanks for the link!